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I met Barb in a chat room in April 1997. The members in that chat encouraged me to join on-line BSP. In May that year, I joined OLA. We chatted on ICQ a lot. We talked about how lonely I could get with just working and taking care of my mother, having no social life at all. She would encourage me that "your Rex is out there, just wait and see." When Cyber Council was forming we had a lively discussion about the word "Cyber" and what it means to a lot of people who chat in chat rooms. She would have none of it. She liked the name and was sticking to it. That was Barb! *Smile* When I met my DH, she sent me an email how happy she was that "your Rex" finally came along. "See, I knew God would bring him to you," was what she said. Barb will continue to look out for all of us - just from a different place. Mizpah my friend, Ev ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My memories of Barb Hill goes all the way to 1997 the first On-line Gathering in Atlanta, GA. We were roommates and I could have never asked for a nicer roommate them her. She was such a lady and really helped me to understand Beta Sigma Phi. I didn't know anyone at the On-line Gathering, but once I met Barb, it didn't matter as she took me under her wing and was always there. She called me from Texas when I had such a time with my son. Barb has here angel wings now and I know she will watch over all of us for a long time. I feel so blessed that I knew her for such a short time, but my life was has been better for her friendship. Beta Love ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My first memory of Barbara I hold dear for She helped me get started with understanding how a computer even works so I could be apart of OLA. I bought a computer so I could be apart of BSP online and get to know Sisters all over the world. To name one thing in particular Barbara was very patient with me learning slowly, and helped me with icq so I could chat with other sisters. I was so thrilled to be in touch with sisters in Canada and across the United States. Then Barbara grew further and moved on to help online sisters with a new chapter. Barbara embraced Sisterhood and shared it with me. I am forever greatful. Mizpah, Patricia Taylor ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Way back when Barb had hair loss, I told her that she was like the Velveteen Rabbit and "was real". Barb didn't know the story, so I sent her the book with stickers, figuring Donovan would be able to help. I'm sure you know all about what makes one real, "it takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily. or who have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept.Generally, by the time you are Real. most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out, and you get very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real, you can't be ugly except to people who don't understand." ...So said the Skin Horse. The book is a classic, by Margery Williams and Barb chuckled at the quote. We spoke several times, the last time she told me I had a lovely voice, what a memory gift! Woven Haliburton Hugs, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I'm going to be honest and say that when I joined OLA at it's beginning, Barb Hill wrote a lot of posts and I wondered, who is this sister with so much to say? Then I met her at the Atlanta gathering in November of 1997 (I think) and found out what an interesting, energetic person she was. We met again at the Kansas City gathering and she continued to be the same. Barb was a sister who just captured your heart. We corresponded off and on, she invited me to her home when we passed thru Texas last June and I'm sad to say I could not accept. Barb showed an interest in my life happenings at a time when she was so unwell that most people would have been thinking only of themselves. I will miss this lovely sister, and am grateful that I had an opportunity to meet her in person. Pat Bailey ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I really got to know Barb at the Chicago convention where we shared the room with Barb, Irene and Joy. I was wearing a pair of shorts, white with black stripes, made of t-shirt material and kind of stretchy. On me they were rather big but I offered them to Barb to wear one day and she loved them!!! So I gave them to her and even a few months ago she wrote to say she was still wearing them. Wish I could find the picture of the two of us taken while she was wearing them! Barb was in the best of humor that weekend but was suffering from what she thought was laryngitis. I gave her a very hard time about her "sexy Texan whisper"! She laughed and shouted and screamed her head off and we had such fun. By the end of the closing ceremony, when we were setting off the balloons, Barb could barely talk. As we know now, she went home to the Dr. and got the horrible news that her sore throat was indeed cancer. The rest is history but Barb will always be remembered for her love, honesty, humor and courage in the face of imminent death. Barb will always be with me in spirit. Should I ever face the type of ordeal that she went through, I will remember Barb and hope that her courage will help me endure suffering in that same manner. With loving memories of our dear and beautiful Sister, Barbara.
Sunny Caribbean Hugs
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I met Barbara online while forming the cyber council. We had great times and discussions and she was every bit a Beta Sigma Phi. I was fortunate to meet Barb at the first online gathering in KC and she gave me encouragement for my coming hip operation. In Denver I saw Barb again and she gave me the gift of courage as I saw her gadding about and showing the world how she was enjoying life and handling her devastating illness. Barb and her love, courage and camaraderie will be missed by us all.........she is an inspiration which will be with me forever. God Bless Rex, Robin and her family. - " Maple hugs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
I was one of the first members of OLB and got into the Chapter through
Barb. This e-mail group thing was all new to me and she helped me along.
OLB meant so very much to her. I even had some phone conversations with
her in the early days. We corresponded for several years before I ever
got to meet her in person at the Denver Gathering in July of 2001. This
is when the photo was taken.... Liz on the left, Barb and I on the right.
We call it the 3 Musketeers of OLB. It was hard saying goodbye to her
then, caus I knew we would never meet again.